My aim is to offer insights into some of the more subtle principles underpinning prints. The commentary is based on thirty-eight years of teaching and the prints and other collectables that I am focusing on are those which I have acquired over the years.
In the galleries of prints (accessed by clicking the links immediately below) I am also adding fresh images offered for sale. If you get lost in the maze of links, simply click the "home" button to return to the blog discussions.

Inscribed in
the plate with the artist’s signature (upper-right corner) and with the
publishers address, “'Imp. Aug Delâtre Rue de la Bucherie 6” (lower-right below
the borderline). Guiffrey 1866 107 (undescribed state); IFF 156. (Note that the
inscribed address for Auguste Delâtre [Rue de la Bucherie 6] suggests that this
edition of the print was published in 1853 rather than the date the print was
originally published without the inscribed address [1846] as Delâtre was not at
this address earlier than 1853.)

Condition:
crisp impressions on chine collé with large margins but with significant foxing
to the margins; otherwise in good condition (i.e. beyond the foxing issue,
there are no folds, holes or tears).

I am selling
this pair of small but beautifully executed etchings by one of the leading
artists of the Barbizon School for the total cost of AU$128 (currently US$93.07/EUR82.62/GBP64.57
at the time of posting this pair of prints) including postage and handling to
anywhere in the world.

If you are
interested in purchasing these original Jacque etchings exemplifying the spirit
of the Barbizon School, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and
I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

These prints have been sold

Rather than
giving an account of how these small but highly evocative prints by the great
master of the Barbizon School exemplify the romantic spirit of the 19th
century, I have decided to shift the focus to a more fundamental issue
underpinning them: the artist’s approach to landscape drawing.

If I were to
ask Jacque—which of course is highly hypothetical as he passed away in
1894—about his approach to choosing his viewing position for these scenes, I
have little doubt that my query would seem almost dumb. After all, artists tend
to choose their site for drawing a scene based on what appeals to them.

When I look at
this scene, however, I see an approach to selecting a drawing position that is
far from normal, especially for an Australian chap like me. The issue is not
about the choice of subject, but rather where artists are likely to situate
themselves. In the case of Jacque, both of his prints reveal that he has chosen
a drawing site that is out in the open in full sun—most likely to keep warm.
From my personal experience of working in the hot tropics, only mad dogs and
Englishmen (pardon my appropriation of Noel Coward’s lyrics) would choose to
work in full sun. In short, what may seem normal approach for a European artist
is not always seen the same way for those living in hot spots.

Another issue
that I perceive in Jacque’s choice of drawing position is that his viewpoint in
these prints is elevated suggesting that he drew while standing. This angle of
view is again at odds with the usual drawing approaches of fellow North
Queensland artists who tend to sit down to draw resulting in images with a low
viewpoint.

Although I can
appreciate that not everyone would be fascinated with interrogating images to
try and determine an artist’s practice in drawing, such deliberations can be
very revealing. Certainly I have found that asking the fundamental questions
“how, when, where and why?” when looking at prints can reveal interesting
insights into an artist’s mindset and everyday issues beyond what is portrayed.

1 comment:

Like many European artists that like to work in the sun to keep warm, this approach has significant ramifications to their compositions as it means that their foregrounds will be light in tone. Moreover, standing up while drawing likewise changes the viewpoint from an intimate and "up close" image to a more panoramic one.